Tony Sartori Lorraine Pascale: How to Be a Better Cook

I'm Lorraine Pascale.

I'm always hearing from people who tell me

they would love to be better cooks,

but they don't know what to start.

So I want to help.

I've never cut up a chilli at all in my life before.

-Have you made a dressing for a salad before?

-No.

I didn't start cooking until my 30s,

so I wanted to prove that with some easy tips...

Lots of flavour, that's what it's all about.

..and a few simple recipes...

Mmm.

..even if you haven't cooked before, it's never too late to learn.

-That's really good!

-Ha! You sound surprised.

I'm going to teach six unconfident cooks

how to pull off a special meal for family and friends.

Hello!

Hello.

Lorraine's not cooking tonight, I am.

-THEY LAUGH

-No!

I'll be creating dishes that anyone can cook,

from simple family suppers

to unbelievably easy party pieces.

All it takes is a bit of enthusiasm...

-Mmm, that is yummy.

-Mmm.

..and some confidence.

-Well done, Mummy.

-Thank you, darling.

See, we're cooking. This is cooking.

I'm on my way to meet 52-year-old builder Tony Satori,

who lives in North London with his wife and three teenage kids.

Tony says that he's never cooked a meal in his life

and is too nervous to even try.

I'm in my early 50s, never cooked before

apart from cheese on toast,

slightly embarrassed about that.

So please, Lorraine, I need your help.

'I'm meeting Tony to find out what's been holding him back,

'and why, at the age of 52,

'he's decided it's now time to change.'

So, talk to me about your cooking skills.

That won't take long, I haven't got any. To be honest, Lorraine, I've never cooked.

Oh, it can't be that bad.

I've known him 30 years

and I've never known him to cook anything, at all.

At school, the boys done the woodwork and the metalwork,

and the girls done the cookery and the needlework, so I never had the opportunity.

I think Tony's probably got away with not cooking before,

because his mum's always done it, then I took on the role of doing it.

So why do you want to learn to cook now?

A lot of my friends give me a little dig that I never cook.

Tony's six close friends have regular dinner parties

and he's the only one who's never set foot in the kitchen.

Tony's role at our dinner parties is serving the drinks.

And trying to sing.

Yeah, I feel a little bit embarrassed that I've never cooked

because I feel it comes across that I'm probably a bit lazy, but I'm not.

'Having not cooked before, Tony is now desperate to prove

'that he can do more than just pour the drinks.'

I've got one day to teach him the skills

to pull off a three-course meal.

He's then got three weeks to practise before the big day.

But first, I want to find out exactly what Tony is capable of.

'So I've asked him to make me his signature and only dish.'

Right, where's the bread?

'Cheese on toast.'

All right, the bread.

I'm actually struggling because I haven't done this for a while.

It's not a test or anything, I just really want to see...

the areas which you need help in.

Right, I could tell you, it's all of it!

Right, it's this for the grill, isn't it?

'I'm starting to get the impression

'that what Tony really lacks is confidence.

'Like lots of people who've never cooked,

'he's worried about getting it wrong.'

Well, it's pretty scary to be honest, Lorraine.

I honestly have not cooked anything,

so when you actually asked me to do it...

yeah, I sort of drained.

Right, so what happens next?

-Now you put that under the grill.

-OK.

I can't wait for this, genuinely.

I'll give you the corner bit.

-Good?

-Mmm.

I'll have to give you the recipe.

-Mmm, I'll look forward to that.

-Ha-ha!

Some people say, "Well, I don't really cook."

but they've done a bit of this, a bit of that...

He literally has cooked nothing.

We've got a long, long, long way to go.

It's my job to come up with a menu for the surprise dinner

Tony wants to cook for his wife and friends.

One that's suitable for a complete novice,

but looks and tastes impressive enough to wow his guests.

So I've come up with three courses that would be perfect

for someone throwing their first dinner party.

A deliciously simple make ahead starter...

..a stunning main that's easier than it looks...

..and a beautiful dessert that will leave a lasting impression.

My first task is to help build Tony's confidence

and get him comfortable in the kitchen,

so I've chosen a starter that is super easy to make,

but looks and tastes divine.

I want to share the secret of a cooking technique

that makes fresh fruit taste great,

and show how one or two luxury ingredients

can elevate a simple meal.

Burrata, this is such a naughty food.

It's so tasty. It's mozzarella...

but inside the mozzarella is rich cream.

Whether you're a novice or confident cook,

this is a great recipe to try.

So first of all, I'm going to ask if you have a griddle pan?

-Griddle pan?

-Er, I'll have a look.

-Your face has gone blank, Tony.

-Yeah, I know but...

-What's happening?

-What's that look like?

-What's going on?

-Got little lines in it I think.

-Yes.

-Is that it?

-As luck would have it, yes, it is.

-Right, oh, that's good.

-Yeah?

So if you pop that on the hob, on like, a medium heat.

'I want to teach Tony the art of griddling,

'a great technique to learn as it cooks food quickly

'and gives it a lovely char-grilled flavour.

'Just remember you have to get the pan very hot first.'

You can just drizzle the tiniest amount of oil on the peaches.

-Oops.

-No that's perfect.

-Is that all right?

-That's good yeah.

'We're using peaches here,

'but you can use other firm fruit, like pineapple or mango.'

If you just pop one of them on.

'Within a couple of minutes, the intense heat caramelises

'the natural sugars in the fruit and concentrates the flavour.'

Why do you put the hole on top of the peaches,

and not in the griddle?

-Because otherwise, it all just sinks between the grooves.

-Oh, right.

It doesn't really do a great deal.

But you don't want too much on, otherwise you won't get those lovely lines on.

Right, OK. OK.

So, have you made a dressing for a salad before?

-No.

-No.

I've squirted it out of a bottle.

Oh, OK...it's a start.

So when you make a salad dressing, there's a kind of basic rule -

three parts oil to one part vinegar.

'For this one, we only need four store cupboard ingredients -

'olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard...'

-What, about that much?

-Yeah, put that in.

-Yeah.

'..and...'

-A tiny squeeze of honey...

-Right.

-..to make it a little bit sweeter.

-OK.

See? We're cooking. This is cooking.

So just give it a taste. Get an understanding of flavours.

-Bit oily, isn't it? So...

-So it's a bit oily.

Add some more vinegar.

Is that enough?

Let's taste.

-Yeah, that's getting better, isn't it?

-Mmmm.

-That's getting better.

'Making a simple dressing like this

'is a great way to learn about balancing flavours

'and trusting your own taste buds - really important for any cook.'

-So this is called "burrata."

-Oh, right.

So it's mozzarella on the outside...

-Yeah?

-..and then on the inside, cream.

'Just changing a single ingredient in a recipe like this

'is such an easy way to transform a dish.'

-Oh, you just...

-Is that a bit big, that bit?

-Do what you feel, go, just go with it.

-OK, sometimes I think I'm too neat and too like...

No, that's beautiful.

So this is the first thing that you've ever cooked in your life, apart from cheese on toast?

-Yeah, you witnessed it.

-I've witnessed it.

You could say that making a salad isn't really cooking,

but I think it's a great way to understand the importance

of using really fresh ingredients,

and how different textures and flavours can make or break a dish.

That's lovely, Lorraine. That really is nice.

What does it feel like to...

have cooked your own food...

and now you're standing eating it?

Yeah, it seems...

It seems strange.

I've wasted 50 years.

THEY LAUGH

Lots of people think throwing a supper party is not very easy,

but whatever level you're at,

I think you can create restaurant-worthy food

in your own kitchen.

Another quick and simple dinner party starter is my...

Just start by simmering the florets of one cauliflower in melted butter.

Add a generous helping of double cream

and simmer until the cauliflower is tender.

A few strips of crispy pancetta will work beautifully

with the soft juicy scallops,

which just need frying off in a little butter for a couple of minutes.

Then pop them onto a dot of cauliflower puree.

Finish off with a fresh chive dressing

and a sprinkling of golden toasted breadcrumbs for a bit of crunch.

Having mastered his starter,

Tony's still got two more courses to learn.

We've got a big hill to climb

if he's to impress his wife and friends with a three-course meal.

So, for his main, I've come up with something really special.

This is a sophisticated-looking recipe,

but believe it or not, it's perfect for a kitchen novice too.

Delicious.

This main is designed to build Tony's confidence further

and prove that cooking fish doesn't have to be daunting

for a first-time chef.

Using polenta wrapped in pancetta instead of potato to make chips

will hopefully teach Tony not to be afraid of unfamiliar ingredients,

and will give the dish a fresh, Mediterranean feel.

I'll be pan-frying as well as griddling

to build on Tony's techniques.

I know this course may seem quite complex,

but with practice, anything's possible.

This is the polenta.

-Oh, right. I don't think I've had that before.

-It's just corn.

'Just add the polenta to some preheated stock.

'It's a great alternative to pasta, rice or potatoes.'

When do you know this is ready?

-When it becomes a bit thicker, so we're almost there.

-All right.

-Thickens up quite quick though doesn't it?

-Yeah, yeah, yeah, it does.

'We're going to be pan frying our polenta when it's cooled to make chips,

'but you can just as easily eat it warm, straight from the pan.'

OK, so if we pour the polenta into here.

Just sort of spoon it halfway first.

Right, OK.

'The polenta only needs 20 minutes to cool,

'time for me to show Tony

'how to make my favourite Italian garnish.'

All you need is some fresh parsley, garlic...

..and lemon zest.

And then a drizzle of olive oil.

-That's it.

-Yep, is that all right?

I'm not sure on these technical terms yet, what a "drizzle" means.

And then just smush it all together.

OK.

For you, and...

..this.

Pancetta. You can use pancetta, prosciutto...

-Or bacon.

-Or bacon.

-HE LAUGHS

Nice. Yes, you can use bacon.

-Is that all right?

-Fingers all nice and straight and perfect.

So, I take a little bit of sage, too much is quite soapy.

-Right.

-Yeah? So you only need a little bit.

And then just take that...

..and then wrap it. Yes, it's a little bit long, but that's OK.

'Knowing that Tony's never cooked for his friends or wife in his life,

'I wonder what they'll think of this meal.'

Do you think...

this is going to be like, a surprise for them?

I've told them that I've won a prize

to have a meal cooked by a BBC chef.

-That is an elaborate lie.

-Yeah, I know. SHE LAUGHS

I don't normally lie.

'Talk about added pressure, Tony!'

-So, asparagus...

-Yeah.

With me, with vegetables as much as possible,

if you can grill them, you get much more flavour,

because the sugars within the vegetable,

they become caramelised.

This is a bit of a step-up now, isn't it?

-Yeah, we've gone into fifth gear.

-Yeah, yeah.

-Am I doing it right?

-You're doing it, you're doing it right. Stop.

I want you to stop panicking about, "Are you doing it right, are you doing it right?"

With this salmon, it's really quite thin.

If it was any thicker, what I'd do is I'd score the skin,

and that means it would cook more evenly

and stop the fish from curling up.

Skin side down.

'Pan-frying is a perfect beginners way to cook fish.

'All it needs is a drizzle of olive oil,

'a hot pan, and a bit of seasoning.'

It doesn't look just like a...

an easy meal, does it?

-No.

-It looks quite posh.

-That's what you wanted, isn't it?

-Yeah.

Look at this skill!

Ooh, mucked up on that one. That was a bit of a tricky one...

No, you haven't mucked up, it's all good.

You've got your asparagus here, you're shaking...

and you're turning over your pillows of chips.

-You've got it all going on.

-Right.

They're almost ready. If you just put a knife through...

the thick, woody end.

Is it soft yet?

Yes.

Tony's salmon needs about four minutes on each side,

for crisp golden skin and perfectly cooked fish.

-Oh, God, that's collapsed that one.

-Don't worry, don't worry, keep going.

I'm going to show you, if something goes wrong, what to do.

All right, so let's say some are going to break on the day, right?

But no-one's going to know because they're going to be hidden underneath salad.

Oh, little tricks. And the asparagus goes on top of that does it?

Asparagus, yeah.

-Right, do you leave it that way up?

-I like it skin side up.

-Yeah, looks nice doesn't it?

-Yeah, you want it nice and crispy,

be a shame not to show it off, wouldn't it?

'And finally, some melted butter and parsley to finish it off.'

What do you think your friends are going to say, when you come out with that?

I think they'll be a bit amazed, really, they won't believe I done it.

Let's go for it.

Try a bit of that first.

My tummy's rumbling.

What do you think?

That's lovely. That is gorgeous.

'And you cooked it, Tony.'

Tony is making good progress.

But so far, it's just been me and him.

On his big day, he'll actually be cooking

in front of eight guests.

That's a massive pressure for any cook.

I need to show him what that feels like

to make sure he doesn't lose his nerve on the big day.

-Now, Tony.

-Yes.

-I'm bringing you to one of the best restaurants in London, OK?

-Right.

The Grain Store is an open kitchen restaurant,

where Michelin star chef Bruno Loubet

creates fabulous dishes right in front of his diners.

I'm hoping Tony will learn some top tips

on how to cook with an audience and stay calm.

-All right.

-OK?

-Yeah!

-Nervous.

-You nervous? What you nervous about?

I don't know, it's just so new to me, isn't it? It's great.

-Let's go and have a look.

-Right, let's go.

So what am I going to be doing?

We're going to involve you in a few bits and pieces in the service.

-Right.

-You know, dressing a few plates and doing...

-You won't shout at me will you?

-No, no, we never shout.

We're not allowed! We just enjoy, you know?

'I'm throwing Tony in at the deep end.

'He'll be prepping, cooking, and plating up

'one of Bruno's signature dishes -

'moussaka.'

When you're cooking, in the restaurant

and even for a dinner party,

you need to have a lot of things ready beforehand.

-Right.

-That's what we do as professionals working in a kitchen,

we prepare a lot of things ahead, otherwise we will panic as well.

That's all right, I like to be organised.

'Once the raw ingredients are prepped,

'the next stage is to pre-cook the lamb,

'to add to the aubergine later on.'

Bruno, can you tell Tony what it's like

to cook for all these people every night?

Well, I mean, you know the beauty is, when you are in your kitchen and you are cooking,

you're giving a present, so they look at you and say

"Wow, you know they're doing this for us."

You know? And it will be the same for you in the kitchen.

You're cooking, you are the king.

'Tony's next task is to fill the aubergine with the pre-cooked lamb.'

-So you just scoop out like this.

-Yeah.

-If it's not perfect, it's fine...

-It doesn't matter.

-It doesn't matter.

-Oh, right, right.

-Did you hear what he just said?

-This is not joinery, you know!

'Once the prep is done, it's just a matter of waiting

'for the diners to arrive

'before Tony faces his last hurdle of plating up.'

Just trying to loosen up. Ha-ha!

Away, two moussaka, that's for you, Tony!

Go on, you're on! Go on, Tony!

-Go on, my son!

-All right.

So just imagine you're at home, so just calm.

Good, it looks good. That's good.

-Is that OK?

-That's good. That's very good.

-Yeah.

-Right, there you go.

Do that one over there first.

'I know it's not exactly MasterChef.

'Tony's been carefully supervised, not cooking alone.'

You have your...your spice, you can sprinkle over.

'But the purpose of today is all about building his confidence.'

Service, please!

OK, great.

OK, table 15, two moussaka, away.

You're calm, you're cool, you're collected,

a little bit of a shake, but that's OK.

So cooking for your friends is going to seem an absolute breeze.

-I think it will, after this.

-Yeah.

It's incredible to think, this cheese on toast man

is now in this restaurant, cooking this beautiful food.

I mean, what a massive, massive change

in such a small amount of time.

Brilliant.

-Bruno, thank you so much.

-Pleasure.

That is absolutely unbelievable.

-Hopefully you'll enjoy yourself in your kitchen now.

-Great.

I know how important it is to Tony to make some really impressive food,

and one of the best ways of doing that

is by creating a really awesome dessert

to leave a lasting impression with his guests...

and I'm hoping this dessert will do just that.

My vanilla and yoghurt panna cotta with raspberry and pomegranate jelly

is a thing of beauty, and will be the perfect end

to Tony's dinner party.

Now, the thing with this dessert is

it looks really, really tricky.

But you know what? It isn't.

The great thing with this, is that you can make the whole thing ahead,

so it's brilliant for anyone planning a fancy supper party.

There are just two parts to this recipe.

First up, making the creamy panna cotta,

which starts with 100ml of double cream.

And then 100 of milk.

Now I'm using a combination of cream and milk

just to make it a little bit lighter.

Just pop that on the heat.

In goes 100 grams of caster sugar for more sweetness...

and let that gently heat through, until the sugar dissolves.

So, my vanilla pod.

Straight down the middle...

..into the pan.

And if you can't get vanilla pod...

..just use a really good vanilla extract.

Just stir that all together.

For the panna cotta to set, it needs some gelatine.

This has already been soaking in cold water for five minutes,

so it's nice and soft

and should dissolve quickly with a gentle stir.

The final ingredient is 300 grams of Greek yoghurt.

And you can use low fat, no fat, half fat, 2%, whichever you want.

And then give it a good stir to loosen it up.

Beautiful.

A quick sieve of the heated mixture will get rid of any lumps

as it goes into the yoghurt.

Beautiful.

To set the dessert so it looks really cool,

you just need an empty egg carton

and some Sticky Tack to hold the glasses in place.

I chose this dessert just for Tony

because he's all about straight lines,

precision, everything has to be exact,

and he can do just that with this dessert.

I'm using champagne flutes, but you can use any glasses you like.

And there we have it.

Now these go into the fridge to set.

It will take an hour or so.

And then the next layer, where the space is now,

is going to be a pomegranate jelly.

Even the most novice cook can make jelly,

but my grown-up twist is adding some sharp pomegranate juice,

which I think will complement the rich and creamy panna cotta beautifully.

Right, now...

..for the big moment,

because I'm hoping that these have set.

Otherwise we're in trouble.

Perfect.

We fill these up.

I think they look really beautiful.

Four to five hours in the fridge

and the jelly will be perfectly set,

ready for the finishing touches.

Pomegranate seeds.

I'm just going to pile them on the top. I want them to fall...

as much as possible in the middle.

Look at those.

They are a thing of beauty!

I hope that Tony's dinner guests will be suitably impressed.

Tony's big day has arrived.

When I met him, he was embarrassed

that he could only cook cheese on toast,

and in a few hours he'll be serving up a three-course meal for eight.

He's been practising the courses

I've taught him over the last three weeks

and it's still a secret from his friends.

Only wife Jane is in the know.

In 28 years, Tony has never ever cooked for me before,

so this is a first.

'This is such a big deal for Tony.

'To help keep it a secret,

'Tony will be hosting his supper party here with me

'instead of at home.

'I'm only here for moral support,

'now it's all down to him.

'I can't wait to see how he got on with the panna cotta.'

My goodness, what is this construction?

Just something I knocked up.

It's so that we could get exactly the same angle

on all the glasses.

You made this yourself?

Yeah, I went down there at the weekend to the site and ...

Tony I am so impressed, you are so precise,

-everything has to be so perfect.

-I know.

And I actually really, really like that.

So your guests will be arriving in...the not too distant future.

Yeah. They have not got a clue.

They think we're having a meal cooked by a celebrity chef.

-They don't know.

-They don't know which one.

-Oh, yeah, they know it's you.

-They don't think the Hairy Bikers are going to be here?

-No.

'Dessert's looking great.

'Tony's obviously been practising really hard.'

Does it feel different now when you're in the kitchen?

Do you actually feel like you're more of a cook?

Um...

I'll... I'll be honest, I'm not totally relaxed

because it doesn't come that easy for me.

Would you add that gradually?

Do you know what? I want you to do it the way you think,

because you've made this so many times and I know...

that you're just asking because I'm here, but I know you know really.

Right, shall I, er, put that into there?

Is that right?

You stop asking me questions. You get it right.

-It's you. I know you can do it.

-That's how I done it at home.

You've got to get on so quickly now.

Time for Tony's big night to begin.

No turning back now!

-Come on, Tony!

-How am I doing? SHE CLAPS

-You're doing really well.

-Right, here they come.

OK, I'm going to cut the sage leaves.

Right, yeah, if you could cut them in little thin strips.

-Hello, Tony.

-Evening.

-Hi there.

-Hello!

-Tony, you're cooking!

I know. I've got lots to tell you, I haven't been quite honest...

because Lorraine's not cooking tonight, I am.

-No!

-No!

-Yeah.

-He's never cooked in his life.

-No.

He's cooking a three-course meal.

I can't - I'm gobsmacked.

-Yeah, so am I.

-I am gobsmacked.

'I'm just anxious what they're all going to say and...'

how they're going to react. It's a really exciting time.

How weird is it, seeing Tony dishing up?

All nicely, look.

'Time to showcase Tony's grilled peach and burrata salad.'

What do you think, girls?

-It's lovely.

-It's absolutely gorgeous.

You've just surpassed yourself...so much.

'Starter's been a hit.

'Fingers crossed for the main.

'What will Tony's guests think of his crispy salmon,

'polenta chips and grilled asparagus?'

I think what's going to happen later on,

he's going to take the mask off and it won't be you.

It'll be someone else. LAUGHTER

CHEERING

-Tony, I'm so proud. Look at what you've just done.

-I know.

Look at that!

If you, if we had a list of the eight of us, yeah?

And you'd go right, "Who's cooked this meal?" He's going to be number eight.

You've done a great job.

I couldn't have done it without Lorraine.

She's calmed me down a little bit, where I would worry about...

your presentation,

you can let yourself go a little bit...

your own personality come out into it,

which I've sort of learnt that now.

-Tony!

-Well done.

-Cheers.

Well done, son.

Top man.

And finally, Tony's piece de resistance -

Vanilla and yoghurt panna cotta with raspberry and pomegranate jelly.

Oh, my God.

That is ridiculous.

Good.

That is unbelievable.

Lovely.

Really lovely. Really nice.

I didn't know how rewarding it would be to teach someone to cook.

Tony couldn't cook, except cheese on toast,

and now he's cooked this amazing meal

and it's incredible what learning to cook can do.

It brings people together, he's got more confidence in the kitchen -

so many, so many positives.

It's so lovely to see.

Lorraine, thank you so much for everything.

I will never forget this adventure in my life.

I found the whole thing quite emotional.

Thank you.

-APPLAUSE

-Aw, Tony!

I'm just so proud of him. It's been brilliant.

To be nearly 52,

never, ever cooked, and to...

to achieve this, at this late stage is...

it's been lovely, it's been lovely.

Since filming, Tony has successfully cooked his three-course meal

for other friends and family

and he's even been helping wife Jane out in the kitchen too.